Planning A Budget Wedding In South Africa

Planning a wedding on a budget in South Africa can be done with a little bit of homework and a lot of budgeting. The trick is to keep it simple and personal, eliminating unnecessary frills and focusing on what’s vital for the wedding to take place. This includes researching and negotiating with vendors, such as venues, caterers, photographers, and florists, as well as keeping the guest list under control.

Choosing a venue: consider a home wedding or a smaller, local business

When choosing a venue, consider having a home wedding. This will reduce venue hire costs. If your house is not suitable, you could ask neighbours, family or friends if they would be willing to host the wedding.

If you would prefer not to have your wedding at home, you could opt for a smaller, local business. Smaller vendors often offer personalised services at a lower cost compared to larger vendors. They may also be more willing to negotiate prices or offer discounts in order to win your business.

It is also worth looking into wedding venues that offer catering services too. These packages are often cheaper than having to pay two different entities.

Be prepared to do a lot of research when it comes to venues. This is one of the most important aspects of planning a low-cost wedding.

Catering: a morning wedding with a champagne breakfast can reduce costs

Catering is one of the biggest costs involved in a wedding, so a good way to reduce this is to have a morning wedding with a champagne breakfast. This will also reduce your drinks bill as you will not have to provide the different varieties of alcohol that you would have to provide for in an evening ‘party’ environment.

If you are set on having an evening wedding, you can still reduce costs by choosing a smaller, local caterer. Smaller vendors are often more willing to negotiate prices or offer discounts in order to win business, and they can provide personalised services at a lower cost compared to larger vendors.

You can also save money by choosing a wedding venue that offers catering services as a package. This is often cheaper than having to pay two different entities.

Another way to save money on catering is to do it yourself. This could mean asking family or friends to help with the cooking, or preparing some of the food yourself in advance.

Guest list: be discerning about who to invite to keep numbers down

When it comes to planning a wedding on a budget, it's important to be discerning about who you invite. Wedding guest lists can easily spiral out of control, so before you invite your closest colleague or next-door neighbour, consider your budget and whether their presence is absolutely necessary.

One way to keep costs down is to have a smaller wedding. This doesn't mean you have to sacrifice having the people you love there, but it does mean being thoughtful about who you invite. Consider whether you want to invite children, for example, or whether you want to keep the guest list to close family and friends only.

Another way to keep costs down is to consider the time of year you're getting married. Peak wedding season in South Africa is during the summer months of December to February, so getting married outside of these months can help keep costs down.

You can also save money by choosing vendors who provide wedding packages that cover a variety of aspects, such as venues that offer catering services. Smaller, local vendors are often cheaper than larger ones and may be more willing to negotiate on price or offer discounts.

Vendors: negotiate deals and discounts, and consider wedding packages

When it comes to vendors, it's important to negotiate deals and discounts and consider wedding packages. This is a great way to save money on your wedding expenses.

Firstly, it's worth noting that smaller vendors may be more willing to negotiate prices or offer discounts in order to win your business. So, when choosing your vendors, consider going for smaller and local businesses. They often offer personalised services at a lower cost compared to larger vendors.

Secondly, develop strong relationships with your vendors. This will help you negotiate better deals and score discounts on services like catering, flowers, or photography.

Thirdly, consider choosing vendors who provide wedding packages that cover a variety of aspects. For example, some wedding venues offer catering services too, and they're often cheaper as a package than having to pay two separate entities. This will help you reduce costs and simplify your planning process.

Finally, be discerning about your wedding guest list. The number of guests can impact the cost of catering and drinks, so only invite people whose presence is absolutely necessary. This will help you stay within your budget and avoid unnecessary expenses.

Decor: DIY decor projects can reduce costs dramatically

Another way to save money is to choose a smaller, local business as your vendor. Smaller vendors are often more willing to negotiate prices and offer discounts, and they can provide personalised services at a lower cost. You can also save money by choosing a wedding package that covers a variety of aspects, such as a venue that also provides catering services.

Catering is one of the biggest costs involved in a wedding, so you could consider having a morning wedding and providing a champagne breakfast, which will also reduce your drinks bill. You can also save money by being discerning about your guest list, as the number of guests can quickly increase costs.

Frequently asked questions